THE Namibian athletes competing at the Yellow Pages Series in South Africa set the track alight during the Central Gauteng Championships in Germiston over the weekend.
After a slow start in earlier outings, the athletes are now steadily posting improved results. There was little doubt as to who the stars of the show were as Globine Mayova, Tjipepora Herunga, Lavinia Haitope and Hitjivirue Kaanjuka all finally showed their class during two enthralling days of competition.The ever-improving Mayova showed her 100m and 200m rivals a clean pair of heels by winning the events in 11,98 seconds and 23,84 respectively. In the 200m she came up against her long time friend, training partner and national record holder Herunga. Herunga ended in second place in 24,21. On Saturday evening Herunga easily won her favoured 400m event as she took control of the race from the start to finish in 54,81 seconds.In the men’s sprint, a bad start meant in the 100m meant Kaanjuka had to settle for second place in clocking 10,75 behind Wade Jooste, who clocked 10,59. But in the 200m Kaanjuka executed his plan to perfection by running more aggressively around the bend as he entered the home straight first and powered to the finish line in 20,95 beating Jooste to first place.In the 400m – their favourite event – Tjiuiju and Puriza ran a close race in windy and cold conditions on Saturday evening. Tjiuiju ended second and Puriza in third place in times of 49,06 and 49,19 respectively behind Nelton Ndebele of Zimbabwe who won the race in 47,67.Lavinia ‘KaSmally’ Haitope, the youngster from the Ohangwena Region, ran a personal best in the 1500m to finish fourth with a time of four minutes and 29,03 seconds. Rodger Haitenge won the men’s triple jump with a distance of 15,98m,.Tuesday the athletes participate in the Yellow Pages 1 meet in Stellenbosch before competing in Potchefstroom over the weekend.
